On March 27, 2024, it was announced that the Ashland University Board of Trustees unanimously approved the appointment of Jon Parrish Peede (pronounced PEE-dee) as the next president of Ashland University and Ashland Theological Seminary. The national search was conducted over several months by a committee that included trustees, alumni, faculty, staff and a student representative. Peede began his role as president on June 1, 2024.
He replaces Carlos Campo, now the CEO of the Museum of the Bible after nine years leading AU. Get to know President Peede, his initial impressions of Ashland, his thoughts on the current landscape of higher education and more in this introductory conversation.
A Conversation with the NEW PRESIDENT
Q. After growing up in the South and spending most of your professional career in Washington, D.C., what attracted you to the presidency at Ashland University?
A. Though I spent the bulk of my career in a metro area of 6 million people, I was born and raised in a Mississippi town of fewer than 10,000. My father was a surgeon and town doctor, my mother was director of medical records at the hospital and my wife (Nancy) is an ordained minister. Serving others is a core family value. In Ashland, Nancy and I have found a friendly, welcoming community where we can follow our callings.
I was drawn to Ashland University because of the university’s comprehensive nature. AU has a strong foundational commitment to the liberal arts and sciences while also offering graduate degrees in education, business, nursing and the health sciences. And, through the seminary, we offer graduate degrees in theology, ministry and counseling. I love the mix of subject expertise and the intellectual environment. Ashland offers an elite education without being elitist.
Q. As the former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities and nearly a decade-plus of experience at the National Endowment for the Arts, do you see your connections within the federal government benefitting AU?
A. Due to these long-term relationships, I have already been contacted by federal agencies that want to hold statewide grant workshops on our campus. Though AU is best known for a commitment to mentoring students, our faculty are also undertaking nationally significant research that is worthy of competitive government and foundation funding. Our student-centered balance of teaching, scholarship and service does not happen by accident or luck. It must be cultivated. The quality of the faculty greatly influenced my decision to come to Ashland.
Q. Now a couple of months on the job, you surely have gotten to know AU – its history, its strengths and so much more – and have started to form a strong vision for the future. Can you please share a little bit of that vision, what are some short-and long-term goals you have for the university?
A. First, I want to share my educational philosophy. I believe the liberal arts and STEM are complementary to one another in the development of well-rounded graduates. I also believe civil discourse and intellectual diversity of thought in our classrooms, experiential learning opportunities for students on campus and abroad and shared governance between the faculty and the administration are vital for a nationally distinctive university.
In the coming years, we must hold true to our residential learning experience while developing innovative ways to deliver existing programs and create new ones. We must be in relationship with those potential students and supporters who are most likely to share our educational vision and core values.
President Peede, pictured here at the seminary, has been busy getting to know the AU community.
Q. It’s no big secret that higher education is in the midst of a challenging time with fewer and fewer people interested in attending college. There’s an oversaturated market, so how will Ashland differentiate itself and demonstrate its value to prospective students?
A. The best universities will survive and even thrive over the next decade. I expect Ashland to be among those that thrive. The challenge is on two levels: making a compelling argument for the value of a college degree and for Ashland University in particular.
Regarding the first matter, the statistics are clear: college graduates make a significantly higher income during their careers, have greater economic independence and social mobility and live longer and healthier lives than nongraduates. According to Axios, “In 2023, recent college grads age 22-27 working full-time earned $24,000 more per year than 22-27-year-olds with only a high school degree.” This income gap grows as workers become older. Over a career, lifetime earnings are $1 million more than for a college graduate and $1.7 million more for a graduate degree holder than a high school graduate.
Beyond the economic benefits, college graduates are more engaged citizens. This is particularly true for Ashland alumni. They are the pillars of their communities as civic and government leaders, businesspeople and entrepreneurs, educators, ministers, health care providers, among other occupations. As the new president, I constantly talk about how our “Accent on the Individual” commitment transforms our students’ lives and helps them to find their true callings.
Q. AU’s eAshland division supports non-traditional educational opportunities from College Credit Plus, to online programs, to professional development and workforce development. How important will those programs be to the future of higher education and our university as a whole?
A. eAshland is a vital part of our university’s current and future operations. Under Dean Shawn Orr’s superb leadership, it draws in a range of learners from high school students to working adults to senior citizens. Our course offerings include dual-enrollment credits, traditional courses delivered online and certificates in numerous business and skill areas. Our eAshland division has a significant positive impact on workforce development in Ohio.
Frankly, it is hard for private universities to compete online because tech-savvy community colleges and less rigorous for-profit institutions discount their offerings steeply. Our saving grace is the “Accent on the Individual.” We are overperforming, in terms of revenue and credit hours. eAshland is a national model for maintaining educational quality and affordability.
As a larger segment of higher ed moves online, I am firmly committed to the residential undergraduate experience as the heart of Ashland University. Our deep faculty-student mentorship relationships have been rooted in this model for nearly 150 years. So even as Ashland widens how we are delivering our classes, we are deepening our investment in the in-person educational experience.
Q. Another area that seems to align perfectly with your background and interests is the Ashbrook Center’s mission to strengthen constitutional self-government by educating our fellow Americans in the history and founding principles of our country. How do you view Ashbrook’s future at AU?
A. I am worried about the erosion of engaged citizenship, the decline in civics knowledge and the rise in historical illiteracy across our nation. Consider the 2023 Department of Education report on U.S. history and civics comprehension among 8th graders: only 22% tested at or above the proficient benchmark in civics. In American history, only 14% did – the lowest score in the history of the test. Our nation needs the Ashbrook Center to remind us that, in President Lincoln’s words, our nation is “the last, best hope of Earth.” I cannot overstate how impressed I have been by the Ashbrook scholars and the faculty who mentor them.
Q. Accent magazine is an opportunity to speak directly with AU alumni, of course. Do you have any special message you would like to send them at this time?
A. “Thank you!” That’s my message to alumni. So many people have called, texted, emailed and welcomed Nancy and me in person. We are humbled by your prayers and support. We write thank you notes constantly and never seem to catch up.
This summer, Nancy and I bought a wonderful historic home on Center Street directly across from the Ashland Theological Seminary. The original house was built before 1878, so it is older than the university. We see ourselves as stewards of the house, not its owners. I think of my presidency in a similar way. The board, faculty, staff, students and alumni have entrusted the care of the university to me. I will work hard to be worthy of this honor. My duty is to respect Ashland’s traditions and uphold its values, to strengthen it when and where necessary and to leave it in the best shape that I possibly can. Working together, we will accomplish this joyful task.
Q. All right, time to get to know you out of the office. What would you like to tell us about your talented wife and daughter?
A. Nancy, Somerset and I are the three musketeers. We love to read, listen to music and to dance after watching a comedy like “Pitch Perfect.” My wife, Nancy HollomonPeede, is an ordained Baptist minister and is a former Harvard chaplain. So, she has a strong higher ed background and is connecting with the seminary. She is the rock of our family. Our daughter, Somerset, is 24 and is a violist. She is completing her master’s at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and teaches private lessons in Sydney, Australia. We have been blessed by friends and family, and we look forward to supporting the Ashland community.
5 Hugh Howard Media Relations and Social Media Manager
PRESIDENT JON PARRISH PEEDE
Jon Parrish Peede, former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, was selected as the next president of Ashland University and Ashland Theological Seminary.
With more than 25 years in leadership positions in higher education and federal agencies, Peede emerged from a pool of highly qualified applicants. He brings a diverse set of experiences to Ashland, having been a faculty member, fundraiser, public speaker, fiscally sound manager and strategic communicator. He is a proven consensus builder and thoughtful leader who develops relationships with a variety of stakeholders to achieve common goals.
Peede’s career has spanned six institutions, and his impressive credentials are headlined by a term as chairman of the NEH in Washington, D.C. He led the agency from July 2017 to January 2021. The NEH chairman position is presidentially nominated and Senate confirmed—Peede was unanimously confirmed within seven weeks of nomination, an example of the bipartisan support he received.
As NEH chairman, Peede had sole authority of awarding approximately 1,000 annual grants and managed a $237 million annual budget. He awarded $500 million in support of liberal arts education, undergraduate and graduate curriculum innovation, museum and library programming, documentary films and multimedia works, cultural infrastructure projects and humanities scholarship.
Peede’s professional career has also included time at the University of Virginia where he was the publisher of the award-winning “Virginia Quarterly Review,” a national journal of literature and discussion. At the National Endowment for the Arts, he served as director of “Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience,” director of literature grants and counselor to then-NEA chairman Dana Gioia. At Millsaps College, Peede was the director of communications, and at Mercer University Press he edited academic books.
Right before coming to Ashland, Peede was an educational consultant and a faculty member in the department of English and foreign languages at Mississippi Valley State University, a historically Black college and university.
Also of note, Peede is not a total stranger to AU, as he once served as a visiting faculty member of the MFA in Creative Writing program.
Originally from Brandon, Miss., Peede’s passion for education and literature led him to Vanderbilt University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English. He also holds a master’s degree in Southern studies from the University of Mississippi and will complete a doctorate in English pedagogy at Murray State University in May 2025. Of note, Peede is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society and American Mensa.
President Jon Parrish Peede & Nancy Hollomon-Peede
Katie Moon: tWo-tiMe olyMpic Medalist
2013 aluMna’s Journey to international stardoM tooK shape at au
WhenKatie Nageotte was getting ready to graduate from Ashland University in 2013, she simply wanted to “put the 9-to-5 type job on the back burner” for as long as she could – mission accomplished.
“I genuinely feel like it’s a God-given gift to be able to show up and perform my best on the days that matter most.”
–
Katie (Nageotte ’13) Moon
Today, now known by her hundreds of thousands of social media followers and fans across the world as Katie Moon, she is fresh off winning a second Olympic medal in the pole vault. She earned a silver at the Paris Olympics this summer with a height of 4.85 meters (15 feet, 11 inches) to go with her gold from the Tokyo Olympics where she jumped 4.90 meters (16 feet, 0.75 inches) in 2021.
Moon may have never reached those heights, or become a professional athlete at all, had it not been for her time at AU.
As an ascending pole vaulter in 2011-13, the psychology major and fashion merchandising minor won a pair of NCAA Div. II national championships, clearing as high as 4.44 meters (14 feet, 6.75 inches) and kept hearing others say, “You have so much potential.”
AU coaches Denny Steele and Jud Logan were pivotal in Moon’s development. Steele helped her clear a major mental hurdle and built her confidence back up after two years at the University of Dayton, and Logan provided inspiration while also demanding excellence.
“The combination of the two was perfect. I don’t think I would have thrived anywhere else truly,” reflected Moon. “(That) was the start of a different mindset for me, just a different kind of motivation, and I just have a lot of love for Ashland.”
Bassitt’s First olyMpics Featured Mixed eMotions
KATIE (NAGEOTTE ’13) MOON was not the only former Eagle sporting the Red, White and Blue at the Paris Olympics this summer. TREVOR BASSITT ’21, ’22 MBA also competed there, making Ashland University the only NCAA Div. II school to have two alumni among the Team USA track and field roster; just 19 schools overall had more than one representative.
Since graduating from Ashland, where he led the Purple and Gold to three national team championships and won 10 individual Div. II titles, Bassitt has been training in Gainesville, Fla., and making his mark on the international track scene. He is a five-time medalist at World Athletics Championship events, and this June, earned a spot at the Olympic Games in his specialty – the 400-meter hurdles.
Bassitt’s first Olympics offered the full spectrum of emotions. The experience of the Opening Ceremony, meeting different athletes on Team USA, trading pins with athletes from other nations in the Olympic Village and the atmosphere at the track, “was everything I had ever dreamed of and then some,” he said.
On the other hand, Bassitt’s results on the track left him “incredibly frustrated.” Bassitt ran a 49.38 in the first round, but the good news was he had a second opportunity in the repechage round, a new format that allows athletes a second chance to advance to the semifinals. Bassitt took advantage and won his heat in 48.64.
In his semifinal heat, Bassitt trimmed his time down to 48.29 seconds, which marked the eighth-fastest time of the three semifinals. While the championship round consists of eight, he did not advance because the finalists are the top-two in each heat and the next two fastest times.
“Running a fast enough time to qualify, but not because of how the heats ended up hurts more than I can express. But that’s the sport, that’s the way it goes sometimes,” he said. “At the end of the day, I need to put myself in a better position going into semis and then execute the semi race better.”
Bassitt has carried a proverbial chip on his shoulder. From growing up in the small town of Bluffton, Ohio, to having limited scholarship offers when choosing a college, to being one of the few unsponsored athletes on the national team, he has felt constantly “overlooked and underrated.”
Now, even as one of the best in the world in the 400 hurdles, “that chip is still there and it keeps growing,” according to Bassitt. Missing the finals of the Olympics by one-tenth of a second will fuel his motivation, as he continues to prepare and train for his next big meet – the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
It was the most fun I’ve ever had. I could hear my family, screaming as I’m on the runway.
“It was unlike anything else and it was so, so special. In a lot of ways, I felt, even though I didn’t win, I still walked away just as happy as when I had won in 2021. It really was amazing,” she continued.
Another reason it was special was because she didn’t have the ideal lead-up to the Olympics. An Achilles injury hindered her preparation, then the morning of the finals she woke up with a terrible headache.
No matter. Moon rose to the occasion, clearing the bar on her first attempt at 4.40 meters, 4.60, 4.70, 4.80 and on her second attempt at 4.85 to clinch another medal as one of three competitors left. After a miss at 4.90, she took two attempts to equal her personal best at 4.95 (16 feet, 2.75 inches), but following a long break due to a broken standard, gold was not meant to be.
“I, of course, wanted to come in here and defend my title,” Moon told the assembled media in Paris. “With the year I’ve had, I’m just so, so ecstatic to be up on the podium. I’m so happy not just (for) that, but to have jumped well. I felt like this is what I was capable of all year, if my body would just play ball and hold up. And, I’m just grateful it came together when it needed to.”
So, what’s next for the 33-year-old, Nike-sponsored athlete? First up, a move to Oklahoma, where her husband Hugo Moon works as a rowing coach for the University of Tulsa. Then at some point, she’ll start ramping up her training for next year’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Beyond that and a possible attempt at a third Olympics medal on home soil in Los Angeles in 2028, we will all have to wait and see.
“As far as L.A., I don’t know. I’m not saying no. Four years is a long time, especially … I have battled injuries. It really will just come down to if I’m healthy, if I’m still enjoying it and if I am still jumping heights that would put me in contention for a medal,” said Moon.
One other factor to consider, it would keep her away from that 9-to-5 job a little longer.
5 Hugh Howard Media Relations and Social Media Manager
photo courtesy of Getty Images
The Impact of Giving at Ashland
It is an honor to serve my alma mater and its donors in my role. I love this institution and the Ashland community and I can’t thank you enough for giving your time and finances in support of our students, faculty and staff.
During this time, generous donors like you also helped us to reach another incredible fundraising year. Your donations provided greatly for our students, including muchneeded scholarships, help when unexpected needs arise in their lives and funds for them to attend and present at conferences within their field of study.
Donors impact the lives of our students every day.
Our commitment to Accent on the Individual remains the beating heart of Ashland University. Thanks to your financial support, we can continue to live into this ideal in new ways for each successive generation of Eagles.
In addition to their unwavering financial support, alumni and friends have given their time to assist Ashland University. Whether it is by mentoring students, presenting special lectures in the classroom, providing internships or writing a personal note to a prospective student, every gift of time is greatly appreciated.
I trust as you read through this report you can see how your support of Ashland University directly contributes to the well-being of our students today and into the future. Thank you again.
Go Eagles!
Vice President Office of Institutional Advancement
The Office of Advancement is finalizing the 2023-24 Impact Report, which includes information on the fiscal year, annual giving, grants, the endowment and more. If you would like to receive a digital copy of the report and learn how your generosity is creating student opportunities at Ashland, please scan the QR code to the left or visit advancement.ashland.edu/impact to be notified when it is available.
Lt. Haywood Makes History in South Texas AU alumna is first Black female promoted to
Whilelieutenant in Corpus Christi
going through the promotion process with the Corpus Christi Police Department earlier this year, Ashland University graduate Mariah (Lindsey) Haywood didn’t realize she was making history.
“It wasn’t until I made the list to promote that one of my deputy chiefs made it known that I would be the first Black female lieutenant the department has ever had,” Haywood said. “It brought up a lot of emotions, sad and happy.”
Haywood started working for the CCPD in 2014 after graduating from AU in 2013 with a degree in criminal justice that included a minor in sociology.
She credits AU and its criminal justice program with starting her on the way to history with the CCPD, which protects and serves its 300,000-plus citizens living in south Texas on the Gulf of Mexico.
“I then came to Ashland [from Mount Vernon], which in comparison was more diverse. I was having trouble knowing who I was or where I fit. Ashland helped me find my place and gave me the confidence in my own skin.”
– Mariah (Lindsey ’13) Haywood
“Through the criminal justice program, I was able to obtain my first internship at a juvenile justice center, which was an amazing opportunity and experience,” Haywood said. “The professors were very open and helpful. I didn’t have any issues reaching out and asking for guidance. Even after graduation, they still were helpful in answering questions for me.”
At AU is where Haywood said she truly began to grow and branch out, joining several clubs while she was there, including the Black Student Union, which helped her break out of her shell and feel accepted.
“I’m biracial. I grew up in a predominately white town,” remarked Haywood, who grew up in
Mount Vernon, Ohio. “I then came to Ashland, which in comparison was more diverse. I was having trouble knowing who I was or where I fit. Ashland helped me find my place and gave me the confidence in my own skin.
“But, like anything in life, you get out of it what you put into it,” she added. “My time at Ashland brought out my true self.”
Ashland University also helped bring out the best in her as a track athlete.
“The track team was where I grew as an athlete and person,” Haywood said. “The bond we all had was par to none. The coaching staff were mentors, of course, but they made us feel like family. The track team was my family, and I will forever cherish memories I had with them.”
While the successful high school sprinter was visiting track programs at several colleges and universities, Haywood said she knew AU was going to be home for her for the next four years when she set foot on campus.
“I was able to be paired up with another track athlete who gave me a tour and introduced me to the team,” Haywood said. “She ended up being my mentor and then life-long best friend. The campus itself was beautiful, but the team bonding the track team had was what won me over.”
That life-long friend and mentor, Angelique (Cunningham) Daniels, who is now the director of marketing at Kent State University, said she could tell early on that Haywood had the potential to do great things beyond AU.
“When she came in, I noticed she had lots of potential both athletically and academically, but I sensed she needed someone who saw her and believed in her,” Daniels said. “Eventually, I took her under my wing like a little sister and tried to pour into her as much as I could. I wanted her to believe in herself and tap into an inner confidence that would push her beyond anything I could do for her not just in track, but in life.
“I’ve always truly believed that she could do or be whatever she put her mind to,” Daniels added. “As I reflect over our time spent at AU and recall the highs and lows we went through together, I feel immense joy to be able to say that one of my best friends left her small hometown to venture out on her own after college, became a wife and mother and is the first Black female lieutenant for the Corpus Christi Police Department.”
Originally, Haywood said she wanted to work for the FBI, but needed military experience, work experience or a master’s degree to do that.
“Through a series of life-humbling moments,” Haywood wound up in Dallas, Texas, with her aunt and uncle, a retired special agent with the FBI who encouraged her to apply with the Dallas PD and Corpus Christi PD.
She applied and was accepted to both departments, but chose Corpus Christi because her uncle had been in the Dallas Police Academy with the late Corpus Christi Chief Floyd Simpson and had nothing but good things to say about Simpson.
After she joined the department, Haywood said she has never forgotten Simpson introducing her to several people, including high-ranking personnel, and telling them “She is going to be my first Black female officer.”
“He passed away when I was on the field training officer program,” Haywood said. “It hurt a lot to have lost such an amazing man and leader. To have made it to this level, I know he’s looking down and smiling.
“When he took me around the department and told the different people that I’d be his first Black female officer, I know how it could be portrayed,” she added. “Race shouldn’t be as prevalent as it was made to be. But it really is, to be able to do something positive for the Black community. To take the stigma away that police officers target minorities, especially Black individuals, is major. I am proud to be able to be a part of the change and blending of our department and community.”
Being promoted to lieutenant was something Haywood said she has wanted since joining the department a decade ago, and the timing was right now with her family and career - just as the timing was right for her to attend AU when she did.
“I believe nothing happens by chance,” she said. “I was meant to attend Ashland University. I was meant to go through the trials and tribulations that I did so that way I could end up where I am today. I will tell anyone who listens that Ashland University is the best university around.”
5 Jarred Opatz Content Writer
Mariah (Lindsey) Haywood with life-long friend and mentor, Angelique (Cunningham) Daniels at AU’s 2013 commencement.
HOMECOMING 2024 EVENT DETAILS
FRIDAY, OCT. 4
5 EAGLE EMERITI & 50TH CLASS REUNION
Open until 7 p.m.
4:30 p.m
John C. Myers Convocation Center
– Please note this event is by invitation only for members of the Class of 1974 and Eagle Emeriti
– Reception starting at 4:30 p.m. Appetizers and refreshments will be provided. Enjoy a slideshow showcasing your days at Ashland College, along with a display of cherished memorabilia. A photo opportunity will be available to capture this special occasion.
– Program and dinner begin at 6 p.m. An address will be provided by Ashland University’s new president, Jon Parrish Peede. A special recognition and pinning ceremony will take place for the class of 1974.
SATURDAY, OCT. 5
5 BAND REUNION AND RECEPTION
7:30 a.m. | Breakfast in VIP Room of the Robert Troop Center
9 a.m. | Band practice with alumni who are performing at halftime
Noon | Form up at Old Abe before marching to the stadium for pregame and halftime performances!
5 WELCOME STATION
8 - 10:30 a.m
Hawkins-Conard Student Center
Stop in the lobby of the Hawkins-Conard Student Center for a cup of coffee and get more information about Homecoming day, including a schedule of events to kick-start your Homecoming celebration!
5 5K FUN RUN
8:15 a.m. | Check-in begins in front of the Rec Center 9:30 a.m. | Walkers/Runners
Registration required. Please visit https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id =eQhZyOIW706AOywXRefPnpUTRaSGcdhMhhGOaedFUdUMEVNMDlCMUJOTlY4S0VGNDVCOVZITEdDVyQlQCN0PWcu to register.
In lieu of an entrance fee, we ask that you bring a canned good to benefit the Ashland County Food Bank Can’t make it to campus? A virtual 5K option is available and registration is required.
Start off Homecoming with a 5K Fun Run! The first 100 registrants will receive a free T-shirt.
A $75 AU Campus Store gift code will be awarded to the first male and female to finish the race and a $25 AU Campus Store gift code to the second male and female to finish. Official results will not be recorded. Please, no pets. The Rec Center will be open at 8 a.m. to change and shower before and after the race. For questions, call Rec Services at 419-289-5440.
5 ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME & STUDENTATHLETE OF THE YEAR RECOGNITION
9:30 a.m. | John C. Myers Convocation Center
– Tickets are required to attend this event: https://goashlandeagles.com/sports/2024/5/14/hall-of-fame-tickets.aspx
– Ashland’s 48th Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the Ashland University Hall of Fame Induction and Student-Athlete of the Year Recognition prior to the AU football team’s 100th Homecoming Game against Ohio Dominican University.
– There are seven 2024 Hall of Famers, and one 2024 Eagle Forever Award winner. The following individuals will be honored:
3 Robyn Fralick, Women’s Basketball Head Coach/Assistant Coach, 2008-2018
3 Sheilah Gulas, Head Softball Coach, 1997-2017
3 Katie Nageotte Moon ’13 OLY, Track and Field, 2011-13
3 Kari Daugherty Pickens ’13, Women’s Basketball, 2011-13
3 Kurt Roberts ’11, Track and Field, 2006-11
3 Mark Savoia ’92, Wrestling, 1987-1992
3 Julie Widmann Holsteen ’13, Swimming and Diving, 2009-12
3 Joan Berry Kalamas ’78, Eagle Forever Award
5 ASHBROOK CENTER REUNION AND RECEPTION
10–11 a.m.
Ashbrook Center, Second Floor of Schar College of Education
Admission: Complimentary and reservations are not required.
Catch up with fellow Ashbrook scholars and faculty members and learn more about current programming and the future of the Ashbrook Center.
Questions? Contact Josh Distel, alumni relations and citizen programs manager, at jdistel@ashbrook.org.
5 PRESIDENT’S COFFEE
10:30 – 11:30 a.m
Hawkins-Conard Student Center, Eagles’ Nest
Admission: Complimentary
AU Raffle items – must be present to win!
Make plans to stop in the Eagles’ Nest for coffee and pastries and an opportunity to meet Ashland University’s new president, Jon Parrish Peede, in a casual setting! President Peede will provide a campus update at 11 a.m.
5 LEGACY VISIT DAY
11 a.m. | Check-in at John C. Myers Convocation Center 11 a.m. | Tailgate Begins 11:30 a.m. | Optional Campus Tour
1 p.m. | Football Game (Optional)
Join us for our Legacy Visit Day! Exclusively for high school or transfer students who have parents or grandparents who graduated from Ashland, this event provides a University overview and campus tour. After the event, stay and enjoy the Homecoming activities throughout campus Reservations required. More information about the Legacy Visit Day can be found at https://apply.ashland.edu/ register/?id=e62c2bd7-8327-4973-9181-cd6522426789 or by contacting the Office of Admissions at enrollme@ ashland.edu.
5 PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA FAN FEST
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Lawn area between the Student Center and Recreation Center
Admission: Complimentary
Bring your family and join us at this jam-packed tailgate! Ashland pizzerias are going head-to-head to serve you your favorite pizza. In addition to pizza, there will be bounce houses for the kids (weather permitting), a free photo booth, face painting, giveaways and more!
At 12:30 p.m., the AU Marching Band will lead us to the football stadium where we will cheer on the Eagles to a Homecoming victory!
Immediately following the football game until 6 p.m.
John C. Myers Convocation Center, Alumni Room
Admission: Complimentary
Come and gather! Meet up with your fellow alumni, friends, faculty and staff and celebrate your time at Ashland while enjoying free food from Ashland’s award-winning catering, a DJ, cash bar, giveaways and a photo booth!
HOMECOMING 2024 EVENT DETAILS
EVENT CONTACT INFORMATION
5 5K FUN RUN
Registration required
To register, visit www.ashland.edu/rec-5k Rec Services 419-289-5440
5 BAND REUNION
Joe Lewis, Jr. | jlewisjr@ashland.edu | 419-289-5132
5 LEGACY VISIT DAY Office of Admissions | 419-289-5052
5 FOOTBALL GAME
Chris Kohuth, assistant athletic director ckohuth@ashland.edu | 419-289-5449
Tickets: www.goashlandeagles.com or Campus Store (located in the Student Center, see hours on next page)
5 ALL OTHER EVENTS, CONTACT THE OFFICE OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT alumni@ashland.edu 419-289-5082 or 866-GoTuffy
5 AU CAMPUS STORE HOURS
Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday: Stadium Store, Noon – 4 p.m.
Sunday: Noon – 3 p.m.
5 RECREATION CENTER
8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Cost: Complimentary Pool: Noon – 9 p.m.
5 STUDENT DINING INFO (CONVO)
Saturday Lunch: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Cost: $13.35 per person
Saturday Dinner: 4 – 6 p.m.
Cost: $16.90 per person
Sunday Brunch: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Cost: $16.90 per person
Please note that all dining options are cashless operations
DICK RUHL’S ESTATE GIFT
Jody Ruhl ’92, pictured with President Peede in the Lyceum Café, was thrilled to learn how her father’s gift is impacting so many different areas of campus.
PROVIDING A NUMBER OF ENHANCEMENTS FOR AU STUDENTS
Dick Ruhl, who made contributions to the success of Ashland University as a longtime member of the AU Board of Trustees (1992-2009), is still making an impact and improving the quality of education and the quality of life for AU students after his passing.
A highly successful businessman in Columbus, Ohio, Ruhl passed away this past December at the age of 86. While still mourning his loss, Jody Ruhl ’92, the youngest of his three daughters, felt privileged to personally deliver the remainder of the estate gift to AU President Jon Peede in August.
The total bequest was $600,000, which helped to complete a number of recent projects at the university, such as renovations to the John C. Myers Convocation Center and the Conard Field House, new Shimadzu scientific instruments (more information on those projects can be found on pages 16-17) and new Eagle Marching Band uniforms.
“He would love it, he would. He would have been really happy that the money is going to several areas, not just one area of campus.”
– Jody Ruhl ’92
Jody Ruhl remarked that her father would be overjoyed his gift is able to impact so many different areas of campus.
“He would love it, he would. He would have been really happy that the money is going to several areas, not just one area of campus,” she said.
“And, that’s what I like. He had a term… spreading the wealth and that was kind of his motto. I think it’s great it’s going to Convo, to band uniforms, (etcetera).”
Peede agreed and told Jody Ruhl, “What I really love about your father’s gift is that comprehensiveness. I think in life we want to be full people. We want to live in full communities. We want our mind, body and soul engaged.”
“So, it’s this idea… you can be a scholar-athlete, you can be in the fine arts, you can be in the sciences, then when you finish you can come to a great convening right here (Convocation Center),” he continued. “What a legacy, and we’ve used several times his gift, but it’s a family decision that says from the resources and capacities of this family, we’re giving this. And, that’s special.”
In addition to serving on the AU Board of Trustees for nearly two full decades, Dick Ruhl was recognized with the Honorary Alumnus Award (2010), given to a friend of the university who demonstrated dedication to the beliefs and values of the university through service and philanthropy.
Jody Ruhl majored in fashion merchandising, studied abroad in Mexico and was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority during her undergraduate days, and her greatest memory came at graduation when her father handed her diploma on stage.
FOUR MAJOR CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS COMPLETED
Significant upgrades continue to take place across the Ashland University main campus. Following the nearly $20 million campus beautification initiative that took place during 2022-23, four major projects were completed already in 2024, most notably a complete renovation of the Conard Field House and a much-needed refresh of the entire upper level of the John C. Myers Convocation Center.
The interior of the 31,000-square-foot Conard Field House, built in 1966, was in effect demolished and replaced with new flooring, walls, rooms and mechanical systems. New spaces consist of a 54-foot by 42-foot open mat area that will benefit the STUNT, cheerleading and dance teams, two regulation size wrestling mats plus two partial size wrestling areas and two tennis courts that are also striped for six pickleball courts.
The $2.1 million restoration was donor funded, other than $200,000 of roof and building envelope improvements, and completed in just over a few months this summer. It also includes new locker rooms, coaches’ offices and storage areas for each team, as well as a common area with handicap accessible restrooms.
“The Conard Field House renovation will assist over 150 studentathletes with an upgrade in training facilities. We talk about doing things that set Ashland University apart from the field. This project does that. It gives us a training edge. It will help our teams reach their full potential,” said Al King, director of athletics.
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS
ALREADY IN 2024
“We can also look at some programming options that will benefit the rest of campus, the Ashland community and our wide-ranging camp schedule,” King added.
Upper Convo, an area that hosts numerous events throughout the year, was also transformed this summer. The $605,000, donorfunded project consisted of new flooring and carpet throughout the 24,650-square-foot area. Additionally, a new audio-visual system and new lighting were installed in the main room, while 800 new chairs were purchased and new paint and finishes contribute to the improved aesthetic appeal.
Another major project was the turf replacement at Ferguson Field, home to the Eagles’ men’s and women’s soccer and women’s lacrosse teams. The $602,000 project, also donor funded, included new drainage and rubber turf infill, as well as new soccer goals and other amenities.
During the spring, the entire eighth floor of the Archer Library, where the Ashbrook Center was formerly housed, was renovated. Now the home of the Career Center for Life Calling, it features a new large conference room, a new kitchenette space and upgrades to the ceiling, flooring, lighting and paint. The donor-funded project cost $125,000.
3
PARTNERSHIP WITH SHIMADZU
Faculty and staff from the College of Arts and Sciences posed with representatives from Shimadzu Scientific Instruments during a dedication event in April.
RESULTS IN SCIENCE EQUIPMENT UPGRADE, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Ashland University has entered into a formal partnership with Shimadzu, a multinational leader in the manufacturing of precision scientific equipment, that will transform AU’s capability for research and teaching within the College of Arts and Sciences.
AU has acquired four new Shimadzu scientific instruments, valued at more than $500,000, that have been installed in the Kettering Science Center. In addition, AU is now a SPARQ partner, which stands for Shimadzu Program for Academics, Research and Quality of Life, an exclusive, invitation-only opportunity of which few schools in the U.S. are granted access.
“I am delighted to work with Shimadzu Scientific Instruments to enhance the Kettering Labs because the SPARQ program represents a true partnership,” stated Katie Brown, Ph.D., dean of AU’s College of Arts and Sciences. “Shimadzu has worked closely with our faculty and staff to ensure that the selection of instruments is catered to our student learning outcomes. Shimadzu also ensures that our faculty will have the support they need to make the most effective use of the new equipment. These new instruments will significantly expand the topics and methods that our faculty and students can explore in their research projects.”
Specifically, the four new instruments are:
3 Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometer, a modern mass spectrometer offering fast and accurate detection of trace chemical compounds in pharmaceutical samples, environmental pollutants and other mixtures
3 Nexera Ion Chromatography System, which can process water samples, a key component for environmental science, analytical chemistry and geochemistry courses and research
3 Nexera Gel Permeation Chromatography System, which possesses polymer-specific analysis tools that will elevate research in a variety of applications and complies with American Chemical Society-approved programs
3 Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer, a device that measures concentrations of many metals and solutions at once, which will enhance current research efforts in toxic metals found in consumer products, environmental water and social studies and geochemical measurements
The SPARQ partnership will serve as a bridge between academic research and applications development. AU faculty and students will consult and work with Shimadzu’s scientists and industry experts on various projects, a mutually beneficial opportunity.
This partnership and the new equipment were made possible by a lead gift from Dawn Swit ’92, who labeled it an “easy decision” to be a part of.
“Being in a science-based field, I understand the company or academic institution … is only as good as the level of the equipment that they have,” explained Swit, who recently retired from a highly successful career in the information technology and insurance business. “If a (student’s) resume doesn’t show that they’ve worked with the equipment their industry wants them to have, they are at a disadvantage. So, this will not only help (Ashland) attract students, but it will help the graduates get better jobs. And, Shimadzu seems like a great partner.”
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Having implemented science of reading standards, AU education students will be better prepared to teach when they enter P-12 classrooms.
HAS FULLY IMPLEMENTED SCIENCE OF READING INTO CURRICULUM
Ashland University has fully implemented science of reading standards – research-based literacy instruction – in its Dwight Schar College of Education curriculum to align with the expectations of state lawmakers as well as the many school districts it works with.
Lisa Vernon-Dotson, Ph.D., dean of the College of Education, has headed the effort to update the content in AU’s education courses and was among a small group of leaders who testified in front of the Ohio House Higher Education Committee in late May. Lawmakers wanted to hear from colleges and universities that were aligned with the new state literacy policy ahead of the January 2025 deadline.
“(AU’s) new curriculum does not address any content that is contrary to research-based practices,” Vernon-Dotson testified.
“Our programs focus on multi-tiered instruction, structured literacy, data for effective instruction, language comprehension and rigorous texts for all. We focus on building our teacher candidates’ knowledge and skills in teaching phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension.”
Vernon-Dotson, who was a member of the Reading First Teacher Education Network (an initiative by the U.S. Department of Education from 2003-05), noted that “initiating these changes has not been an easy endeavor, but it has been a worthwhile one.”
The science of reading is based on decades of research with a goal of developing best practices for literary curriculum and
instruction and to ensure consistency. That research has resulted in improved methods of teaching elementary students to read effectively, such as greater emphasis on phonics, sounding words out, reading for comprehension and understanding what words mean.
When Vernon-Dotson began her role as dean in 2022, she visited some of the 80-100 schools where AU students are placed for clinical experiences and met with teachers, principals and superintendents. It became clear to her that AU students needed a stronger background in the science of reading.
“It’s our responsibility to ensure that every P-12 learner has access to highly effective teachers and a well-sequenced curriculum that meets their learning needs,” Vernon-Dotson explained. “(We’ve been) making sure that our students, the future teachers of these P-12 learners, are prepared and ready to teach on the first day of their teaching profession.”
The bottom line for Vernon-Dotson and AU’s highly-regarded College of Education is that by implementing science of reading standards, its teacher candidates will be better prepared and ready to thrive in their careers.
“You become a really good education program by making sure that the students are prepared to enter the classroom, and then you remain there by continuing to update what you’re doing so that they’re still prepared to be there, and that’s what we needed to do,” said Vernon-Dotson.
NEW ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP ESTABLISHED
A passionate educator is returning home, thanks to the support of dedicated community members Bob and Jan Archer.
The Archers have donated $1 million to set up the Archer Endowed Position in American History & Politics at Ashland University, a position that will first be held by alumnus Adam Carrington ’07, Ph.D.
Funds from the endowed professorship will be used for the outstanding faculty member’s scholarly activity and travel. The faculty member will fulfill a normal course load – Carrington is teaching classes on the American presidency and understanding politics this fall—and all of the typical activities of a professor on tenure track.
“I think (Adam’s) teaching methods will be so well received by the Ashbrook Scholars, as well as all AU students. They’re going to learn so much from him … he’s the cream of the crop,” said Bob Archer. “The only way to get him (was) to set up an endowed chair, and we were happy to do so.”
“I’m deeply thankful to the Archers for this vote of confidence and
BY BOB AND JAN ARCHER
really hope I can act in a way, teach in a way, conduct myself in a way that is worthy of it and in line with the school’s mission and really just try to be a part of the great community here,” stated Carrington. “It’s an honor. I’m very humbled.”
Carrington, who earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and religion and was an Ashbrook Scholar at AU, spent the previous 10 years at Hillsdale College where he served as an associate professor of politics. He instructed both undergraduate and graduate students in the Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship and was selected as the 2018 Professor of the Year at Hillsdale, as nominated and voted on by the senior class. He hopes to make a similar impact at Ashland.
“Ashland has always meant a lot to me. It really put me on the track I’m on now. The professors that were here at the time, the classes, the staff, just the overall institution … really showed me what a good education was,” said Carrington, who holds a Ph.D. in political science from Baylor University. “I didn’t come to Ashland thinking I was going to be a college professor, didn’t think that was even possible. They really not only showed me that it was possible, they made it possible. So, I’m very thankful and hopeful I can give back … just a little bit of what Ashland has given me and maybe help other students in similar situations realize their potential and realize what they’re capable of.”
AU EARNS ACCREDITATION IN THREE AREAS
In the past six months, Ashland University has received accreditation in three areas – the Dauch College of Business and Economics (COBE), the Dwight Schar College of Education (COE) and the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling within the Ashland Theological Seminary (ATS).
COBE earned business accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), which is synonymous with the highest standards of quality. Less than six percent of the world’s schools offering business degree programs hold this accreditation.
“We are honored by this recognition as it affirms our commitment to providing students with the highest quality business education. This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication of our students, faculty, administration and staff,” said Dan Fox, dean of COBE.
COE was one of 38 educator preparation program providers to receive accreditation this spring from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) after meeting its nationally-recognized standards.
Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review of the CAEP standards, which are based on two principles: solid evidence that the provider’s graduates are competent and
caring educators and solid evidence that the provider’s educator staff can create a culture of evidence and use it to maintain and enhance the quality of the professional programs they offer.
“Our students, faculty, staff and administration should be very proud of the work they are doing. We’ve set a high bar for our teacher preparation programs and CAEP accreditation validates the hard work we are doing,” remarked Lisa Vernon-Dotson, Ph.D., dean of COE.
The M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree, one of eight master’s programs administered by ATS, was accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), following a two-year, peer-reviewed process.
The self-assessment CACREP requires of programs is focused on planning, goal setting and measurement against self-designed goals and objectives of the program, as well as the professional standards.
“The faculty and staff of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program have worked together to not only provide a strong degree, but also transform the lives of their students and the future clients,” stated Yvonne Glass, Ph.D., executive dean of ATS. “CACREP programs provide the academic excellence that prepares qualified students to be professionals. I know how well our graduates are prepared for the field of counseling, and now, others will continue to know.”
The Eagles went 31-2 and won the Great Midwest Athletic Conference championship on the court in 2023-24, but were even more impressive off the court, compiling a 3.875 GPA as a team.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BOASTS TOP TEAM GPA AMONG
ALL COLLEGIATE LEVELS IN 2023-24
Ashland University’s women’s basketball team is used to winning on the court and now the three-time national champions have a milestone achievement off the court.
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced its 202324 Academic Top 25 Team Honor Rolls this summer, and not only did the Eagles sport the highest team grade-point average last academic year in NCAA Div. II at 3.875, but at all levels of NCAA, NAIA and two-year colleges as well.
Ashland’s team GPA nudged out NCAA Div. I Youngstown State (3.868) and Western Illinois (3.866) for the top mark in all of 202324 women’s college basketball.
“I’m really proud of the girls,” said Ashland head coach Kari Pickens. “We recruit student-athletes first and foremost, but they have to put in the work. They are really diligent about taking their school seriously, and I’m really proud of them.
“Also, a lot of credit to Coach J (associate head coach Jenna Kotas). She oversees our academics within our program, and she makes sure the girls are staying on top of things. It shows a lot about our program’s culture and the type of student-athletes we try to bring in, that they would work that hard to do that.”
The Eagles now have earned WBCA Team Honor Roll recognition 16 times. They also did so in 2022-23 (fourth), 2021-22 (sixth), 201920 (second), 2017-18 (sixth), 2015-16 (tied for 14th), 2014-15 (tied for seventh), 2013-14 (ninth), 2012-13 (11th), 2011-12 (18th), 2010-11 (tied
for 17th), 2009-10 (fifth), 2008-09 (third), 2007-08 (15th), 2002-03 (15th) and 2001-02 (12th).
The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes NCAA Div. I, II and III, NAIA and two-year college women’s basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined GPAs inclusive of all studentathletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2023-24 season is the 29th in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls.
On the court the last 13 seasons, Ashland is 390-41 (.905). In addition to three national titles, the Eagles have two national runner-up finishes, three undefeated seasons, a Div. II-record 73-game winning streak, a Div. II-record 39-game road winning streak (current), eight 30-win seasons, nine conference regular season championships, 10 conference tournament titles and a mark of 210-14 (.938) at home.
2023-24 WBCA NCAA DIVISION II
STUNT WINS FIRST NATIONALS GAME TO CAP WINTER SEASON
Ashland University’s STUNT team made history, becoming the first collegiate program to win two conference championships at the end of March and also winning its first postseason game – a 16-14 overtime decision against outgoing conference rival Trevecca Nazarene at the Div. II STUNT National Championship.
The Eagles, who won a program-record 18 games (18-10), were led by junior flyer/tumbler Alyssa McLaughlin and senior flyer/tumbler Lily Boldman The former led the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in power rating (33.74) during the regular season, while the latter was the Most Valuable Player of the G-MAC Championships.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL – Ashland continued to build upon what has been a dominant 13-season run within Div. II, going 31-2 overall—which included a 23-game winning streak—and 20-0 in the conference. The Eagles swept through the Great Midwest’s regular season and tournament championships, and reached the NCAA Championships playoffs where they were eliminated by Ferris State in a close second round match-up. Fifth-year forward Annie Roshak earned first-team All-American honors from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and finished her career with a school-record 2,370 points. Junior forward Zoe Miller received honorable mention on the WBCA All-America Team after averaging 13.9 points.
TRACK AND FIELD – At the 2024 G-MAC Championships, held inside AU’s Niss Athletic Center, Ashland’s women’s indoor team won its first conference championship in 28 years. Hailey Rios
WOMEN’S
GOLF
was the conference’s Freshman of the Meet after winning the long jump (19 feet) and finishing fourth-place in two sprints. A dozen Eagles qualified for indoor nationals, headlined by sophomores Garrett Baker and Daylen Madison who produced All-American performances in the pole vault (17 feet, 2.25 inches) and 800 meters (1:49.84), respectively.
WRESTLING – For the third time in four seasons, Ashland won the Great Midwest championship. Individual champions were sophomore Sevriano Garza at 165 pounds, sophomore Nate Barrett at 174, graduate Daniel Beemer at 184 and senior Walker Uhl at 197. The Eagles also finished atop the leaderboard at the NCAA Region 3 meet, which featured 125-pounder Luke Acuna and Garza winning their weight classes. Five AU grapplers qualified for Div. II nationals.
MEN’S BASKETBALL – Ashland posted a 17-11 record and 11-9 in the Great Midwest, qualifying for the league tournament. On Nov. 22, head coach John Ellenwood became the program’s all-time winningest coach, and now has 260 victories.
SWIMMING AND DIVING – Three Ashland divers – sophomores Joey Lenczyk and Maddi Whitticar and freshman Riley Hunt –each qualified for the NCAA Div. II Championships for the first time. Lenczyk and Hunt earned Great Midwest Diver of the Year honors, while the men’s and women’s teams placed third (of nine) and fourth (of 10), respectively at the G-MAC/Mountain East meet. cumulative GPA).
RETURNED TO NATIONAL STAGE
TO HIGHLIGHT SPRING SEASON
Ashland University’s women’s golf team earned a spot at the NCAA Div. II Championships as a team for the first time in nine years, finishing 17th in the country. Over three rounds, the Eagles low scorer was freshman Riley McKenzie, who shot 77-77-71. At the NCAA East Regional, where they came in fourth-place, junior Emma Conway led the way with 76-75-80.
During the regular season, Ashland earned seven top-three team finishes, including tying for first-place at its own Eagle Invitational, a win at the Klash In Kentucky and a victory at the Gannon Spring Invitational.
BASEBALL – Nationally ranked throughout the 2024 season, the Eagles ended up at 42-15 overall and 24-8 in the Great Midwest to earn the program’s first G-MAC regular season championship. The Eagles received an invite to the NCAA Div. II Midwest split regional, marking the program’s 23rd trip to the NCAA postseason. Four of the team’s juniors were first-team all-conference – third baseman Jeremiah Cangelosi, pitcher Marshall Leishman, centerfielder Cam Miller and pitcher Cam Scott – and John Schaly coached his 2,000th career game.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE – Ashland won a program-record 11 games (11-8), and one of those wins was the first conference tournament
victory in team history – a 21-4 win over Lake Erie at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field. Ashley Drexler was selected as both the G-MAC Freshman of the Year and Midfielder of the Year after putting up a stat line of 63 goals and 29 assists..
TRACK AND FIELD – As was the case in the winter, Hailey Rios was the Great Midwest Freshman of the Year outdoors after winning the long jump (19 feet, 6.75 inches), running on the first-place 4x400 relay team and taking third in the 100 meters (11.92). She helped the women’s team to a runner-up conference finish, while the men came in third. Seventeen Eagles reached the national meet, with three men scoring – Garrett Baker in the pole vault (17 feet, 0.75 inches), Daylen Madison in the 800 meters (1:54.48) and senior Brenden Jackson in the 400 hurdles (1:07.47).
TENNIS – Both Ashland teams qualified for the conference tournament. The men’s squad was 13-6 overall and 3-5 in the Great Midwest, and the women were 14-9, 4-5.
SOFTBALL – The Eagles ended their season with records of 19-26 and 12-14 in the G-MAC.
MEN’S GOLF – Ashland finished seventh in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
CLASS notes
NEWS
1962
Cassandra (McAuley ’62) Barth of Vandalia, Ohio, was wondering where those in the class of 1962 are and what they are doing. She continues to teach at Lakeside, Ohio (summer art classes) and at the Vandalia Senior Citizens Center. She currently has her 21-year-old granddaughter living with her until she finishes a nursing program. Cassandra has yet to have “great grands, but there is always hope! Out of five grandchildren, there hopefully will be at least one great before she starts pushing up the daisies!”
1980
After 34 years in education, Connie (Cox ’80) Cawley retired on July 1, 2024!
1981
Harry “Tripp” Rogers ’81 is the afternoon personality/ program director of the “Q,” WRHQ 105.3 FM, in Savannah, Ga. He’s enjoying life in the Hostess City of the South without snow! He also programs an internet radio station, WTRSRadio.com and has a syndicated show, “The Music Yearbook,” on radio and internet stations.”
1986
Carlos Lowell ’86 shares that he has maintained a private psychiatric practice in Sandusky, Ohio, since 1995, and established Ohio’s fifth fully functional Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) program in 2013, the TMS Institute of Ohio. He has also been active in the Clinical Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Society (CTMSS) since 2014 and has been involved in teaching not only general psychiatry but also TMS. He’s been asked to continue to serve as the CTMSS’s co-chair of its education committee, to present a lecture in London, England, this June and to serve on the organization’s Board of Directors.
1994
Jerry Fife ’94 ’G01 started a non-profit, ProTect Athletics, to help educate and inform about safety across all levels of competition in athletics. His love for athletic safety started at AU where he was a student athletic trainer, then graduate assistant in the equipment room and then the full-time equipment manager for all sports. Since then, Jerry has had many opportunities to continue to learn about athletics and safety, including while helping to start a new football program at Old Dominion University in Virginia. But his true love for teaching safety came from working in the prison system in Virginia. Help Jerry spread the word about athletic safety and visit protectathletics.org.
1996
Cathleen Sherman ’96 retired from Progressive Insurance on March 1, 2024, after 27 years, and graduated from Tiffin University with a master’s degree in criminal justice with a specialty in crime analysis on May 4, 2024. She enjoys retirement, but is getting bored so she plans to find employment to keep herself busy.
2003
Daniel Jones ’03 had his second book published, “Modern PBL: Project-Based Learning in the Digital Age.” It contains interviews from leading experts in PBL, as well as numerous downloadables to help teachers transform their classrooms. The book is available on Amazon and barnesandnoble.com.
2004
Carrie (Giles ’04) Scheiderer was elected President of the Board of Directors for the Association for Career and Technical Education. Her term began July 1, 2024. The Association for Career and Technical Education is the nation’s largest not-for-profit association committed to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers.
2007
Ashley (Brillhart ’07) Hershberger, the City of Wooster’s Recreation Manager, is the 2024 Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce Jack O’Donnell Award for Community Service honoree. The award is presented annually to recognize contributions to the community through volunteerism, enthusiasm and love for Wooster. Hershberger started for the city as an intern in 2007 while she was working on a commercial recreation degree at AU. She was part of the 2009 Leadership Wooster class and now serves on the steering committee. She serves on the WoosterFest committee, is a board member for United Way of Wayne & Holmes Counties, is on the facilities master planning committee as a part of the Wooster City Schools Business Advisory Council and is a past president of the Kiwanis Club of Wooster. She is also involved as a committee member for the Wayne County Family and Children First Council and Wayne County Children Services.
2009
Ann Pfister ’G09 accepted a part-time position as a global professional instructor with Crisis Prevention Institute.
2019
Ryan Pote ’G19 debuted his novel, “Blood and Treasure,” coming July 15, 2025, from Penguin Random House. A film deal is in process with A24.
MARRIAGES/ ANNIVERSARIES AND BIRTHS
1964
On July 4, 2024, Richard Hyde ’64, ’G90 and his wife celebrated 60 years of marriage! They currently have two great grandchildren, a boy and a girl.
2002
Michelle (Zinn ’02) Robinson shared that she was married in December 2023. Michelle also shared that they welcomed a daughter, Lea, in October 2023.
2014
Randa (Mast ’14) Burky and her husband, Tyler, welcomed a little girl in March 2023.
IN MEMORIAM
Dorothy (Berger ’48) Breniser
Richard Algeo ’50
Merle Queer ’52
Barbara (Soliday ’N52) Cunning
Clifford Kochheiser ’53
William Anderson ’55
Joan (Boyd ’55) Livingstone
James Braun ’56
Edgar Roseberry ’56
Margaret (Miu ’57) Boyce
George Giovas ’58
Nerys (Klotzle ’58) Lightner
John Purtell ’58
Larry Young ’60
John Carlisle ’61
John Haring ’61
Linda (Lawson ’N61) Grace
James Runyon ’62
Joseph Ferguson ’63
Sharon (Watkins ’63) Faulkner
Nancy (Baughman ’64) Stearns
Carol (Juhas ’65) Clayton
Joyce (McDermott ’66) Kiste
Ruth (Kieselbach ’67) Nash
George Rickett ’67
Carol (Jacot ’68) Onorati
Douglas Ramsey ’68
Charles Thatcher ’68
Jane Eshelman ’69
Randy Osler ’69
David Loyd ’70
Charles Milligan ’70
Phyllis (Pruitt ’71) Parks
Donna Hamblin ’N72
James Hilderbrand ’72
Eugene Naab ’72
Duane Netzly ’72
Claire Richards ’72
Jerry Helwig ’73
Delaine (Smith ’73) McGhee
Deb Wilhelm ’75
Kathleen Chorpening ’76
Robert Knight ’76
John Bolesky ’77
Joyce (Astalos ’77) Bolesky
Gisele Arness ’80
Ernst Schuster ’80
Norman Carson ’81
Linda Patterson ’81
Louis LaGatta ’82
Sondra (Lassen ’87) Cornett
Donna (Workman ’G88) Weaver
Patricia (Howard ’G89) Weber
Ronald Graves ’S92
David Atkins ’S93
Mary Cooper ’S93
Eric Ellis ’G93
Michael Kitts ’N93
Kathy Merle ’94
Charles Ratcliff ’94
David Granchi ’95
Jodi Hale ’N95
Patrick Purcell ’G96
John Lance ’G97
Suzanne (Lilly ’98) Gingerich
Doris Simmons ’S98
Gina Kovach ’07 ’G17
Terry McConahay ’G07
Kristie Grisez ’08
Zachary Minnich ’13
Ahmed Yusuf ’G13
Patrick Shriver ’16
Brett Kershner ’18
G – Graduate degree
N – Nursing degree
S – Seminary
LUCILLE FORD
Lucille Ford, Ph.D., a university educator, a community leader and a trailblazer, died peacefully at home on Sept. 2 concluding a remarkable 102-year life.
Ford was an Ashland University professor, administrator and board member; the founding president of the Ashland County Community Foundation (ACCF); and the first woman to run for lieutenant governor in Ohio.
“Dr. Ford’s many years of service as a faculty member, mentor to students and university leader solidified her remarkable legacy at Ashland University,” stated Jim Hess, chair of the AU Board of Trustees. “If there was a Mount Rushmore for AU, Dr. Ford would certainly be on it.”
The Ashland native, who earned a master’s degree from Ashland Theological Seminary and an honorary doctorate from Ashland University, first joined AU in 1967 as a professor of economics. She eventually became the chair of the economics department and was later named dean of the School of Business Administration, Economics and Radio/TV in 1979.
Ford instructed more than 3,000 students during her nearly 30-year AU career, was instrumental in creating the Gill Center for Business and Education and received many awards, including the Glenn L. Clayton Award. She and her husband were honored with a lecture series at the university.
By 1986, she was named vice president of academic affairs, followed by provost in 1990. Under her guidance, the Nursing Program, Writing Center, Honors Program and many other academic activities were revised or introduced.
After retiring in 1995 from a position supporting the AU president, Ford served as a member of the AU Board of Trustees, chairing its $55 million “Building on Strength” capital campaign, which concluded in 2002 and exceeded its goal.
Ford went on to volunteer her time as the first president of the ACCF and held that position for 17 years until 2012. She was the first in many of her endeavors, most notably the 1978 primary gubernatorial race when she made political history as the first woman nominee for lieutenant governor as Rep. Charles Kurfess’ running mate. Ford was inducted into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame in 2001.
Ford and her late husband of 60 years, Laurence, raised two daughters, Rev. JoAnn Ford Watson, Ph.D., and Karen Ford, a retired Navy lieutenant commander. They both survive.
PRESIDENT G. WILLIAM BENZ
G. William Benz, Ph.D., who served as president of Ashland University from 1993-2006, passed away in Albuquerque, N.M., on May 8. He was 88.
Benz’s impressive career in academia was headlined by leading AU during a time of significant growth. Among the highlights of his 13-year administration were:
• The “Building on Strength” comprehensive fundraising campaign, which raised $59.4 million over a five-year period (the largest in AU’s history at the time)
• Construction of 12 new buildings, including the Hawkins-Conard Student Center, the Dauch College of Business and Economics and the Rybolt Health Sciences and Recreation Center
• Establishment of Doctor of Education and Master of American History and Government degrees
• Increase in academic standards for undergraduate students
• Strengthening of faculty, in terms of both numbers and quality scholarship
Benz called his time as Ashland’s president as “probably the source of my greatest enjoyment” during a 2006 interview with Accent magazine. “It has given me the chance to work with some extraordinary people at an institution that I believe in very strongly and … feel privileged to have had the opportunity to share in its success,” he added.
Prior to coming to Ashland, Benz was at Ohio Wesleyan University from 1986-93, serving as special assistant to the president, provost and chief academic officer. He was also a dean at Defiance College and a professor at Trinity College, Lake Forest College and Whitworth College.
Benz served in the U.S. Navy for four years and was involved in highly-sensitive intelligence work as a Russian language specialist. He spent months at sea on a submarine, eavesdropping on Soviet military radio transmissions.
That experience inspired an interest in Soviet politics and Russian history, and upon leaving the military, Benz attended the University of California at Riverside. He later earned a Ph.D. in Soviet studies from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
Benz’s wife of seven decades, Gerry Benz, survives.
According to his son, Stephen Benz, “Bill and Gerry loved Ashland very much and they continued to follow AU news while in retirement. My father took particular delight in the successes of the women’s basketball team. The memorial service prominently featured purple and gold.”
Meet the people who are giving back and serving Ashland University and the Alumni Association. They offer their time and talents to help connect AU and alumni in meaningful ways.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2024-25
Joan Stanbrook Sustarsic ’78 AUAA President
Ken Dworznik ’98, ’00 M.Ed. AUAA Vice President
Phil Yale ’78 Past President
John Benedict ’03 MBA
Zach Bernhard ’16
Megan Betche ’04
Kristen Carpenter ’03
Amy Cepelnik ’18 MBA
Maria Dehne ’06
Michael Kuentz ’92
Lisa Lang ’96, ’00 M.Ed.
Will Levering, Jr. ’05
Hannah Mattar ’16
Marie Migliore Meixner ’99
Elaine Robinson ’02 M.Ed.
Hallie Mast Rutt ’12
Dolph Santorine ’81
James Turner ’98, ’03 MBA
Susan Welch ’78
Jeff Whitesel ’74
Pier Young ’82
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
OUR MISSION
To engage alumni with Ashland University, where “Accent on the Individual” is a lifelong experience.
ASHLAND IS ALL ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES
4 ASHLAND UNIVERSITY SUCCESS HUB
The Ashland University Success Hub is a LinkedIn group designed to connect alumni with faculty, staff, friends of the university and current students. Meaningful connections and transformative opportunities await!
4 EMPOWER AN EAGLE
Do you know someone who would make a great Eagle? Your referral could result in an additional scholarship! Simply fill out the online referral form and we will take it from there! Make your promise to help them discover theirs.
4 WRITE TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS: ALUMNI CONNECTING EAGLES
Share your story of Ashland with current high school seniors and make a difference in the life of a student considering calling Ashland home! We will provide you with postcards and postage.
4 JOIN THE ALUMNI BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Serving on the board means being part of a tradition, showing pride in your alma mater and making an impact on the future of Ashland. You’ll have a voice to make a difference in the current student experience at Ashland and the experience to alumni across the globe.
4 BECOME A SOCIAL MEDIA ADVOCATE
With your influence on social media you can help connect Eagle Nation and have a positive impact on the future of Ashland University.
4 STAY CONNECTED TO ASHLAND UNIVERSITY
Have you moved? Gotten married? Have a new email address? Update your info.
4 FUTURE EAGLES LEGACY PROGRAM
The program recruits and recognizes children, stepchildren and grandchildren of Ashland alumni. As part of the program, legacies are recognized at birth and again on their 5th, 12th, 16th, and 17th birthdays. When children, step children or grandchildren apply to Ashland University, they will receive a $1,000 legacy scholarship, which is renewable by maintaining satisfactory academic progress.
4 ANNUAL ALUMNI AWARDS
An Alumni Award nomination is an important way to honor those who have helped Ashland University continue to fulfill its mission of providing opportunities for every individual who comes to Ashland looking to grow into the person they were designed to be.
